Window sash construction



Oct. 27, 1964 F. c. OSTEN, SR

wmnow SASH CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Arr-dealers 1964 F. c. OSTEN, SR 3,153,818

wmnow SASH consmucnou Filed larch 6. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

/BY RID avI'M-M'.

United States Patent ice 3,153,818 WINDOW SASH CONSTRUCTIQN Fred C.Osten, Sn, 14560 Ahingdon Ave, Detroit 27, Mich. Filed Mar. 6, 1961,Ser. No. 93,532 2 Claims. (1. 20-42) This invention relates to buildingstructures and, in particular, to window sash structures.

One object of this invention is to provide a hollow window sashconstruction wherein the sash frame or border structure is made up ofhollow sash rails connected to one another at their corners andproviding a light, durable, low heat-conducting and permanentlycoloredconstruction which is substantially free from warping, splitting,cracking and other defects of wooden sash constructions but at the sametime free from the heavy weight, heat-conduction loss and corrosiondefects of metal sash constructions.

Another object is to provide a hollowe window sash construction of theforegoing character wherein the hollow sash rails are made of plasticmaterial preferably by extrusion, which results in an inexpensive yethighly successful article.

Another object is to provide a hollow window sash construction whereinthe hollow sash rails are of compound construction consisting of anelongated channel member and an elongated closure plate closely fittingthe open side of said chainnel member, thereby further reducing the costof manufacture of such hollow sash rails.

Another object is to provide a hollow window sash construction as setforth in the object immediately preceding, wherein tlie closure plate isslidably interlocked with the channel member.

Another object is to provide a hollow window sash construction of theforegoing character which is adapted for use in a removable tilting sashwindow installation.

Another object is to provide a hollow window sash construction of theforegoing character wherein the meeting rails of the upper and lowersash frames are also of extruded plastic construction, and haveoverlapping portions disposed in sealing engagement with one another.

Another object is to provide a hollow window sash construction of theforegoing character wherein the hollow sash frame is especially welladapted for reception of dual pane units, and wherein means is providedfor effectively retaining such dual pane units in position in the sashframes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description of the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic rear elevation of a hollow sash windowinstallation, according to one form of the invention, viewed from insidethe building structure looking outward;

FlGURE 2 is an enlarged central vertical section taken along the line2-2 in FIGURE 1, the central sash portions being omitted to conservespace;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 33 in FIGURE 1,with the central sash portions omitted to conserve space;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section through one of the verticalsash rails, taken along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 1, showing a rail and arail corner coupling member with the adjacent structure omitted; and

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of the rail corner coupling member removedfrom the sash.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGURES l, 2 and 3 show adouble-hung tiltably-removable sliding sash window installation,generally designated 10, according to one form of the invention asconsisting gen- 3,153,8l8 Patented Oct. 27, 1964 erally of a windowframe 12 having on its opposite sides two resiliently-mounted verticalsash guides 14 (FIG- URE 3) slidably engaging a stationary channel guideor backing member 16 fastened to the adjacent vertical window frame sidemembers 29 and retained in position by stop bars 22 also secured to thewindow frame sash members 20. The outer portions of the channel backingmembers 16 are provided with hollow outer border portions 24 preferablyintegral with the back plates 25 of the channel members 16 andpreferably formed by rolling or extrusion of suitable material, such asaluminum or aluminum alloy.

The sash guides 14 are yieldingly urged away from the window frame sidemembers 20 by helical compression springs 26 (FIGURE 3) and limited intheir travel by stop screw 28 threaded through nuts 30 which in turnturn are clamped in vertical plates or strips 32 urged against theflanges 34 of intermediate ribs 36 of the guide channels 16 by centralcompression springs 38. The bevelled heads of the stop screws 28 arerotatably received in countersunk bosses 40 disposed in verticallyspacedrelationship with one another in the midportions of the sash guides 14.Each sash guide 14 is provided with a pair of integraloutwardly-extending hollow tubular portions 42 spaced laterally apartfrom one another and containing automatically self-locking removablesash balances, generally designated 44, of the type disclosed andclaimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 61,988 filed October 11,1960 for Spring-Bal ce- Mounted Removable Sash Window and beyond thescope of the present invention. Each sash balance 44, for purposes ofcalarification, may be said to include a sashbalancing helical tensionspring 46, the upper end of which is anchored to the sash guide 14, andthe lower end of the tension spring 46 is secured to a sash lockingmember or pawl 43 carrying a trunnion pin or sash pivot 50. The lockingpawl 4-8 is pivotally mounted in a slide block 52 in such a manner thatthe trunnion pin or sash pivot 5d swings upward in response to the pullof the spring 46 upon removal of the sash from the Window frame sashguides 14 for automatically locking the sash balance 44- to the tubularportion 42, as set forth in the above-mentioned Osten application. Thetrunnion pins or sash pivots 56 project through elongated vertical slots53 in the front walls of the vertical sash guides 14.

Vertically slidably mounted in and between the opposingresiliently-mounted sash guides 14 are two window sash units, generallydesignated 54 and 56 of similar construction and hence requiring only asingle description. The sash units 54 and 56 constitute the outer andinner or upper and lower sash units of the window sash installation itEach sash unit 54 or 56 consists generally of an open-centered sashframe or border frame 58 surrounding and receiving a dual pane unit 66held in position by retaining sealing strips 62 (FIGURE 3).

Each window sash unit 54 or 56 has its sash frame or border frame 58composed of vertical side rails 64 interconnected by oppositely-facingmeeting rails 66 and horizontal rails 63 which constitute the upper railof the upper sash 54 and the lower rail or bottom rail of the lower sash56. The horizontal rails 68 are also of similar construction but face inopposite directions, the upper horizontal rail 68 (FIGURE 2) engaging anupper weatherseal member, generally designated 7%), of interfittingconstruction and the lower horizontal rail 68 engaging and interfittingwith a lower sill member, generally designated 72. The vertical rails 64and horizontal rails 66 and 68 are coupled to one another at their endsby corner coupling members 74 (FIGURES 4 and 5).

Each rail 64, 66 or 68 consists of an elongated stepped channel member76 and an elongated closure member '73 interfitted therewith (FIGURE 4).Each channel o a member 76 in turn consists of opposite plate-likeparallel sides 80 and 82 of unequal width interconnected by a steppedside 84. The stepped side 84 has portions 86 and 88 extendingtransversely from the edges of the wide and narrow sides 80 and 82respectively in perpendicular relationship therewith, and areinterconnected by a portion 90 disposed parallel to the parallel sides80 and 82. The portions 86 and 90 are thus disposed at right angles toone another to form, in effect, a rabbet 92 into and against which thedual pane unit 60 is fitted. The section 86 of the stepped side 84remote from the corner or rabbet 92 is provided with a groove 94 ofslightly greater than semicircular cross-section to receive thecorrespondinglyshaped rib portion 96 of the sealing strip 62, which ispreferably of elastic deformable material, such as natural or syntheticrubber.

The free edges 98 and 100 of the sides 80 and 82 (FIG- URE 4) of therails 64, 66 and 68 are thickened to con tain T-slots 102 which areslidably engaged by T-ribs 104 integral with and projecting inwardlyfrom the closure members 78 on the inner sides thereof. The closuremembers 78 in turn possess marginal portions 106 disposed substantiallyin the same plane and connected by oblique portions 108 to an insertcentral portion 110 disposed parallel with but spaced inwardly from themarginal portions 106. Each channel member 76 and closure member 78 ispreferably formed by extrusion of synthetic plastic material, such asfrom a vinyl plastic material, by conventional extrusion processes andapparatus well known to those skilled in the plastic art and beyond thescope of the present invention.

Each corner coupling member 74 (FIGURE is approximately L-shaped andformed from vinyl or nylon plastic or other suitable material. Eachcorner coupling member or bracket 74 is provided with two hollow tubulararm portions 112 disposed perpendicularly to one another and ofsubstantially the same cross-section as the hollow sash rails 64, 66 or68 so as to fit slidably into the interior thereof in telescopingrelationship therewith (FIG- URE 4). Thus each arm 112 has wide andnarrow parallel sides 114 and 116 with their opposite edgesinterconnected by a stepped side 118 and an inset or troughshaped side120. The opposite sides 118 and 120 are interconnected by a partitionrib 122 which is drilled and threaded to receive locking screws 124. Thescrews 124 are threaded into the stepped side 84 to retain the adjacentrails 64 and 66 or 68 in assembly with one another. The

screws 124 of course are inserted before the closure members 78 are slidinto place, or else access holes must be made in the closure members 78.

The meeting rails 66 (FIGURE 2) differ slightly in the construction oftheir closure members 126 and 128 in order to provide interfitting andsealing relatively to one another. The closure member 126 of the meetingrail 66 of the'upper sash 54 and the closure member 128 of the meetingrail 66 of the lower sash 60 possess substantially flat plate-like mainportions 130 and 132 provided with T-ribs 134 adapted to fit andslidably engage the T-slots 102, and the closure members 126 and 128have extensions 136 disposed perpendicular to the portions 130 withwedge-shaped portions 138 and 140 facing in opposite directions andsecured by screws 142 to their respective rails 66. The wedge-shapedportion 140 is grooved as at 144 to receive the opposite edges 146 of asealing strip 148 of arcuate hollow cross-section the sealing strip 148is preferably of synthetic rubber or synthetic plastic material, adaptedto come into sealing engagement with the wedge-shaped portion 138 whenthe upper and lower sash units 54 and 56 are in their closed positionsshown in FIGURE 2.

The upper weather seal member 70 (FIGURE 2) is formed of any suitablematerial, such as aluminum, by conventional rolling or extrudingprocesses and apparatus and is of channel cross-section possessinginwardly-projecting rib 150 disposed parallel to one another and drilledand countersunk to receive screws 152 by which, they are secured to theback portions 25 of the upper backing member 16 (FIGURE 2) which isgenerally similar in construction to the side backing members 16 ofFIGURE 3 and similarly is provided with hollow outer border portions 24.The backing member 16 is in turn secured to the window frame top member154.

In order to receive and detachably engage the trunnion pins or sashpivots 50 of the self-locking removable sash balances 44, the lower endsof the vertical side rails 64 are provided with L-shaped slots 156having open-ended vertical portions 158 and ofiset horizontal portions160.

The window pane units 60 are conventional, are available on the openmarket from several manufacturers, and their details are accordinglybeyond the scope of the present invention. Each consists of a pair ofspaced parallel window panes 162 and 164 having insulating edge strips166 (FIGURES 2 and 4) which permanently seal the interior space andrender it gas-tight and moisture-tight. The interior space is preferablyfilled with a dry gas which at the same time serves as an insulatinglayer which impedes the conduction of heat through the dual pane unit60. Each window pane unit 60 is surrounded on all sides by cushionstrips 168 of vinyl plastic or other suitable mateiral which is capableof a certain amount of expansion or compression in response to thecontraction and expansion of the dual window pane unit 60.

In the manufacture and assembly of the various components of the hollowwindow sash construction of the present invention: let it be assumedthat there are available suitable lengths of channel stock 76 and flatstock 78 (FIGURE 4) from which the components of the sash frame siderails 64, meeting rails 66 and horizontal rails 68 have been extruded orotherwise prepared. These are cut into the proper lengths for theabove-mentioned rails, according to the size of the window for which thesash is intended, with their ends mitered at 45 degrees. The window sashframe or border frames 58 are then formed by interconnecting thevertical side rails 64 to their respective meeting rails 66 andhorizontal rails 68 by inserting the arms 112 of the corner couplingmember 74 therein in telescoping relationship (FIGURES 1 and 4), and thescrews 124 inserted to lock the components of the assembly together. Therails 64, 66-or 68 are then closed by sliding the T-ribs 134 of theclosure plates 126 or 128 into the T-slots 102 in their correspondingchannel members 76.

The dual window pane units 60 (or single panes, if desired) are theninserted into the central openings of the sash frames or border frames58 and seated in the rabbets 92. The sealing strips 62, which have beencut to their proper lengths, are then inserted into the central openingsof the sash frames or border frames 58 and seated in the rabbets 92. Thesealing strips 62, which have been cut to their proper lengths, are thensnapped into place by pushing their ribs 96 into the grooves 94, theribs 96 yielding slightly because of their resilience due to the use ofelastic deformable material for the sealing strips The L-slots 156 arethen formed in the lower ends of the closure plates 78 of the verticalside rails 64, in order to accommodate the trunnion pins or sash pivots50 of the self-locking removable sash balances 44. The open end of theslot portion 158 is of course extended through the adjacent end portionof the closure plate 126 of the horizontal rail adjacent thereto so asto provide for free entry of the trunnion pins or sash pivots 50, asexplained below in connection with the operation of the invention.

In the operation of the invention, let it be assumed that theresiliently-mounted sash guides 14 have been installed in the windowframes 12 as explained in my above-mentioned co-pending application'Serial No. 6l,- 988 filed October 11, 1960 for Spring-Balance-MountedRemovable Sash Window, and that the trunnion pins or sash pivots 50 havebeen pulled downward to a convenient location, tensioning the balancingsprings 46. The operator then inserts the window sash units 54 and 56 bypushing their lower ends into the space between the sash guides 14,wedging them apart by the camming action of their bevelled portionsadjacent the slots 53 through which the trunnion pins or sash pivots 50project, at the same time aligning the open ends of the L-slots 156 withthe trunnion pins or sash pivots 50 so that the latter enter the former.When the L-slots 156 have been pushed onto the trunnion pins or sashpivots 50 to their greatest extent, so that the trunnion pins or sashpivots 50 are seated in the horizontal portions 160 of the L-slots 156,the operator swings the sash unit 54 or 56 upward into a verticalposition, the weight of the sash unit pushing the trunnion pins or sashpivots 50 downward around their respective pivots in their slide blocks52. This action rotates the locking pawls 48 so as to release them fromgripping engagement with the rearward or inner walls of the tubularportions 42 of the sash guides 14, as explained in the above-mentionedapplication Serial No. 61,988, releasing the tension springs 46 to pullupward upon the slide blocks 52 and trunnion pins or sash pivots 59,which are now in horizontal positions, counterbalancing the weights ofthe window sash units 54 and 56 to the desired extent, as determined bythe tension springs 46. Meanwhile, the sash units 54 and 56 are pushedinto their completely vertical positions so as to be vertically slidablein the sash guides 14 for ordinary opening and closing of the window forventilation or other purposes.

For removal of the window sash units 54 and 56, the foregoing operationsare reversed by the operator grasping the horizontal sash rail 68 or 66remote from the slotted horizontal sash rail 66 or 68 and pulling theformer toward himself, at the same time pushing the resiliently-mountedsash guides 14 apart from one another by the camming action of therelatively bevelled parts mentioned above (FIGURE 3), until the sashunit 54 or 56 being removed is in an almost horizontal or slightlyinclined position. The operator then disengages the trunnion pins orsash pivots 50 from the locking notches at the ends of the horizontalportions 160 by pushing horizontally against the slotted horizontal sashrail 66 or 68. He then pulls the sash unit 54 or 56 toward himself byapplying a force in the plane of the window pane unit 60, drawing theL-slots 156 away from and out of engagement with the trunnion pins orsash pivots 50,

6 which pass outward through the open ends of the slot portions 158(FIGURE 2).

What I claim is:

1. In a spring-balanced removable sliding sash window installationwherein a rectangular window frame is provided on opposite sides withelongated sash guides at least one of which is yielda'oly mountedthereon and both of which contain self-locking spring sash balancescarrying inwardly-projecting normally coaxial lock-actuating sashpivots, the combination with said pivots of a quicklyremovable pivotingwindow sash construction, comprising a sash frame including side, topand bottom rails disposed in an open-centered substantially rectangulararrangement and secured to one another at their adjacent ends,

a window pane unit mounted in the open center of said arrangement withits edges engaging said rails,

and means for retaining and sealing said window pane unit in said sashframe,

said sash frame near the lower corners thereof having open-endedpivot-receiving slots disposed in horizontal alignment with one anotherwhereby to quick-detachably mount said sash frame upon the coaxialpivots in the window frame.

2. In a spring-balanced removable sliding sash window installationhaving pivoting window sash construction according to claim 1, whereinsaid slots are approximately L-shaped with the open ends thereofhorizontally aligned with one another and with the portions of saidslots containing said open ends extending outwardly substantially to theouter edge of said sash frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,152,390 Bishop Sept. 7, 1915 2,197,913 Axe Apr. 23, 1940 2,322,700Mussey June 22, 1943 2,538,749 Kerbaugh Jan. 23, 1951 2,589,064 DrakeMar. 11, 1952 2,717,665 Himmel et al. Sept. 13, 1955 2,888,719 BrengmanJune 2, 1959 2,932,861 Kunkel Apr. 19, 1960 3,040,389 Fengler June 26,1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 725,696 Great Britain Mar. 9, 1955

1. IN A SPRING-BALANCED REMOVABLE SLIDING SASH WINDOW INSTALLATIONWHEREIN A RECTANGULAR WINDOW FRAME IS PROVIDED ON OPPOSITE SIDES WITHELONGATED SASH GUIDES AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH IS YIELDABLY MOUNTED THEREONAND BOTH OF WHICH CONTAIN SELF-LOCKING SPRING SASH BALANCES CARRYINGINWARDLY-PROJECTING NORMALLY COAXIAL LOCK-ACTUATING SASH PIVOTS, THECOMBINATION WITH SAID PIVOTS OF A QUICKLYREMOVABLE PIVOTING WINDOW SASHCONSTRUCTION, COMPRISING A SASH FRAME INCLUDING SIDE, TOP AND BOTTOMRAILS DISPOSED IN AN OPEN-CENTERED SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR ARRANGEMENTAND SECURED TO ONE ANOTHER AT THERIR ADJACENT ENDS, A WINDOW PANE UNITMOUNTED IN THE OPEN CENTER OF SAID ARRANGEMENT WITH ITS EDGES ENGAGINGSAID RAILS,